19 Powerful Thoughts for Achieving Success on Your Own Terms
Transform Your Life Beyond Conventional Wisdom
I won't lie, I:
Watch Netflix
Drive nice cars
Eat Avocado Toast
Don't wake up at 5 AM
Drink Starbucks 2x per day
Spend too much on vacations
And, I'll still retire earlier than 99% of people.
Forget their "rules".
These 19 thoughts WILL change your life:
Meta > Hacks
When they tell you you'll be rich by cutting out avocado toast and coffee, while taking cold showers, they're selling hacks.
People who are wealthy don't do hacks, they focus on improving their thinking.
To succeed in life, improve your thinking.
"The person who reads too much and uses his brain too little will fall into lazy habits of thinking." – Albert Einstein
Pareto Principle
80% of your results come from 20% of your efforts.
Figure out the right areas to focus on and make that your priority.
This is why you can watch Netflix, eat avocado toast and drink Starbucks and still be a millionaire,
If you focused on the right 20%.
"Focus on being productive instead of busy." – Tim Ferriss
Know --> Plan --> Do
You can achieve whatever you want if you follow these three steps:
Know what you want
Understand what it takes
Do the work. Day in. Day out
It really is that simple, and remember, a crap map is better than no map.
"Action is the foundational key to all success." – Pablo Picasso
Build your Get Shit Done Muscle
Nothing matters more than this. Nothing.
When you've never achieved hard things, everything seems scary.
When you've done an Ironman or an Ultramarathon, everything seems easy.
Start small. Take a first step. Do harder things, regularly.
"The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing." – Walt Disney
Mind - Shut up
We think we are done before we are.
Your mind. Your body. They will tell you to quit. That you're exhausted and can't go on.
Learn to tell them to shut up.
You have a job to do.
Keep going until you're done.
You don't want to do it again, do you?
"If you can't fly then run, if you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward." – Martin Luther King Jr.
Consistency is King
Once you press go, do not stop.
Smart choices + consistency + time = exponential results.
Get the flywheel turning and then keep it turning ever forward.
"Success is neither magical nor mysterious. Success is the natural consequence of consistently applying basic fundamentals." – Jim Rohn
Be in the Right Room
You will become wealthy by learning from wealthy people.
Get in the right rooms.
You will become wealthy when your friends are focused on becoming wealthy.
Build the right circle.
You are who you surround yourself with.
"You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with." – Jim Rohn
Invest in Yourself
Wealthy people never stop learning:
Books
Coaches
Online courses
Business teachers
They spend money to make money.
The average person focuses on the $5,000 cost, but the wealthy person focuses on the $50,000 they will make from it.
"An investment in knowledge pays the best interest." – Benjamin Franklin
Focus on Rare Skills
People focus on in-demand skills, instead, focus on Rare Skills.
Rare skills are a combo of multiple skill-sets that mix into a super-power, such as an accountant who:
Understands leadership
Is a public speaker
Is a strong writer
"The future belongs to those who learn more skills and combine them in creative ways." – Robert Greene
Automate Life
We make 35,000 decisions a day.
This can often lead to decision fatigue, which means you will make bad decisions.
If you automate good decisions, it prevents mistakes.
Automated investing
Payroll savings deductions
Remove as many decisions as you can.
"Make habits, not decisions." – Kevin Kelly
The Law of Action
People focus on the law of action, which is a mistake.
Instead, focus on your actions.
Every day, commit to getting the work done. The work you identified in your 20%.
"The path to success is to take massive, determined action." – Tony Robbins
Exponential Thinking
People think incrementally about life.
They think if you invest each month, you'll incrementally improve, not realizing at some point compounding will drive exponential results.
Small smart choices + consistency + time = exponential results.
"Compound interest is the eighth wonder of the world. He who understands it, earns it; he who doesn't, pays it." – Albert Einstein
Radical Ownership
Nothing matters more than owning your own shit.
Nobody is going to write you a cheque.
They aren't going to do your work for you.
They aren't going to run a marathon for you.
Own your shit.
"Take responsibility of your own happiness, never put it in other people’s hands." – Roy T. Bennett
Ignore Them
At first,
They will laugh at you
Then they will make fun of
After a while they'll ask you questions
Later, they will tell everyone they knew you
You will only get to the last step if you learn to ignore the haters.
"Your time is limited, don't waste it living someone else's life." – Steve Jobs
Growth Mindset
Some people think learning ends when you graduate.
They never read a book again.
They don't listen to podcasts, take courses, or do self-devleopment.
This is a fixed mindset.
To succeed, have a growth mindset, and realize you're never done learning.
"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." – Nelson Mandela
Abundant Mindset
Some think there isn't enough to go around, that if you win, they lose.
They can't give you a piece of the pie, because it means less pie for them.
This is a scarcity mindset, and it leads to failure and sadness.
If you have an abundant mindset, you think:
If you win, I win.
Let's make a bigger pie, together, and share in its rewards.
This leads to success, friendships and happiness.
"Abundance is not something we acquire. It is something we tune into." – Wayne Dyer
The Law of Choice
Everything we do in life is a choice.
If we stay in a job we don't like, it's a choice.
If we are in a relationship we don't like, it's a choice.
There are consequences to changing those situations and that is a choice we make.
Make the right choices.
"Life is a matter of choices, and every choice you make makes you." – John C. Maxwell
Life Happens For You
People who fail think life happens to them.
People who succeed realize life is happening for them.
Even in the darkness, or the worst situations, they think:
What can I learn from this
How can I be better from this
"When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves." – Viktor E. Frankl
Failure as Feedback
Unsuccessful people are afraid of failing.
When you're afraid of failing, you won't take action and that leads to failure.
Successful people redefine failure as feedback and take action.
They recognize the more feedback you get the more you'll succeed.
"Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently." – Henry Ford
TL;DR: To succeed, improve your thinking:
Action
Choices
Automate
Ignore haters
Pareto principle
Know - Plan - Do
Think exponentially
Have a growth mindset
Have an abundant mindset
Take radical ownership of life
Build your Get Shit Done muscle
Conclusion:
And there you have it—19 powerful thoughts that turn traditional success advice on its head. Remember, it's not about giving up your morning coffee or skipping those Netflix nights. It's about smarter thinking, choosing your battles, and making the moves that truly count. With these insights, you're not just living life; you're mastering it on your terms. So go ahead, order that avocado toast, and step confidently into a future where you define what success looks like. Your extraordinary journey starts now.
"To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all." – Oscar Wilde
FAQs
1. Can I really succeed by living life on my own terms?
Yes! Success isn't one-size-fits-all. By focusing on what truly matters to you and leveraging the 19 thoughts shared, you can achieve your own version of success.
2. Do I have to give up my small pleasures to be successful?
Absolutely not. It's about balance and making smart choices that align with your goals. Enjoying life's little pleasures can actually fuel your journey to success.
3. How can I start applying these 19 thoughts to my life?
Begin by picking one or two thoughts that resonate with you the most and integrate them into your daily routine. Over time, you can incorporate more as you see fit.
4. Is the Pareto Principle really effective in achieving success?
Yes, the Pareto Principle, or the 80/20 rule, is a powerful way to focus your efforts on what truly drives results, making it easier to achieve success efficiently.
5. Can these thoughts help if I feel stuck in my current situation?
Definitely. These insights are designed to shift your mindset and inspire action, helping you move past feeling stuck by focusing on growth, choices, and actions that lead to success.
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